This Japanese pub with one-yen bottles of sake broke our brain and made our day

We do not know how that is doable, however we’re oh so completely satisfied it’s.

Osaka is called a spot the place folks love discovering a terrific deal and having a good time. So when our Japanese-language reporter Seiji Nakazawa was again dwelling on a latest go to and heard about Chutoro and Tonsoku, he knew he needed to examine it.

Chutoro and Tonsoku is an izakaya (Japanese-style pub) positioned in Osaka’s Temma district. Temma has an old-school, blue-collar vibe, so there are various izakaya to be discovered within the neighborhood. Chutoro and Tonsoku, although, is the one one which sells sake for 1 yen (lower than US$0.01).

This isn’t some secret deal that’s solely accessible to regulars or in any other case in-the-know prospects. Chutoro and Tonsoku is positioned proper exterior the exit of Temma Station, and so they’ve acquired a large signal at their entrance proclaiming “Sake, sizzling or chilly, 1 yen” (日本酒　あつかん　冷酒　１円).

The pub is definitely positioned within the basement, so Seiji made his manner down the steps, the place the partitions are plastered with handwritten menu objects.

As soon as contained in the pub, Seiji started trying over the menu, which is sort of in depth, with a full lineup of alcoholic drinks and Japanese pub grub like oden (simmered greens and meats), karaage (fried rooster), and even sushi.

Nonetheless, he couldn’t spot the 1-yen sake wherever on the menu…at the least not the printed menu. This isn’t actually an issue, although, since at Chutoro and Tonsoku you place your order utilizing your smartphone, and on the digital menu 1-yen sake (1円日本酒) is straightforward to seek out.

▼ The primary choice is for what number of sake cups you need them to convey you (choices from prime: none, one, two, three, and 4), and also you make your choice of room-temperature (常温) or sizzling (あつかん) temperature under.

Now, while you order sake out in Japan, typically you get only a cup, and typically you get a complete small bottle, referred to as a tokkuri, with sufficient sake to refill your cup just a few instances. With Chutoro and Tonsoku charging simply 1 yen for this sake, Seiji figured he’d solely be getting a single cup…

…however nope, they introduced him a full tokkuri!

The surprises had been simply getting began, although. Keep in mind how we talked about Chutoro and Tonsoku serves meals? A few of it’s unbelievably low-priced too. Wanting one thing to snack on, Seiji determined to order some stewed shiitake mushrooms, which had been solely 10 yen for a dish. Two piece of Chutoro and Tonsoku “easy pizza” collectively value him 109 yen.

109 yen was additionally the worth of the dish of oden that Seiji ordered.

▼ 109 is amazingly low cost…and but nonetheless greater than 100 instances as costly as Seiji’s bottle of sake.

At this level, Seiji’s head was spinning, however not from the sake. As an alternative, he was struggling to know how these costs had been doable. However then he remembered, izakaya typically cost some type of service cost. Typically they offset this by routinely providing you with a small appetizer while you are available, and since Chutoro and Tonsoku didn’t give him one, that signifies that no matter additional charge they cost is a straight mark-up to your invoice.

Wanting round, Seiji discovered an indication confirming that sure, there’s a desk cost at Chutoro and Tonsoku. Nonetheless, it’s not very a lot (275 yen earlier than tax, or 303 after), and Seiji was really left with one other query after studying the signal informing prospects of the cost.

▼ “For patrons utilizing seats, there’s a desk cost of 275 yen.”

Turning his head a method, Seiji might see tables with seats…

…however while you look the opposite manner, you’ll see that Chutoro and Tonsoku has a standing part too.

So if the desk cost is for patrons utilizing seats…

“That’s proper, there’s no desk or service cost for patrons who use the standing part.”

The cheerful employees confirmed Seiji’s concept, and instructed him that they do certainly have prospects who are available, order the 1-yen sake and a 110-yen plate of oden, pay their 111-yen invoice, and go dwelling, which Chutoro and Tonsoku has no drawback with.

OK, however you continue to need to order at the least one drink and one meals merchandise proper? Nope! Seiji requested it might be OK for somebody to return to Chutoro and Tonsoku and order solely the 1-yen sake, and as soon as once more the employees was all smiles as they knowledgeable him “Yeah, that’s completely OK with us!”

Now completely reeling, Seiji’s thoughts reached out to attempt to grasp the final doable manner this technique might make any type of financial sense. Perhaps solely your first bottle of sake is 1 yen. After that, the worth should go up, and perhaps it’s costly sufficient that for those who drink three or 4, you really find yourself paying greater than you’d someplace else the place the primary bottle isn’t so near free?

Under no circumstances. You’ll be able to order as many bottles of the 1-yen sake as you need, and the worth doesn’t go up. Need two bottles? That’ll be 2 yen. 5 bottles? 5 yen. 10 bottles? We wouldn’t advocate ingesting that a lot all by your self, but it surely’s undoubtedly one thing you may afford to do with out another person to separate the invoice with, as these 10 bottles can be simply 10 yen.

Oh, and for those who’re pondering the best way Chutoro and Tonsoku pulls this off is by providing you with crummy high quality, bad-tasting fare, that’s not the case both, as all the things Seiji and drink throughout his go to was scrumptious.

Ultimately, we do not know how Chutoro and Tonsoku stays in enterprise. It’s like they exist in some dream realm exterior the bounds of real-world economics, but it surely’s a dream we’re glad we acquired to have, and one we hope to have once more the subsequent time we’re in Osaka.

Restaurant informationChutoro and Tonsoku / Chutoro and pork feetAddress: 3-12 Nishiki-cho, Kita-ku, Osaka-shi, OsakaOpen noon-4 amWebsite

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